For their height, the Olympic Mountains are quite possibly the most spectacular mountains in the world outside of the polar regions. Nowhere do the Olympics crack the 8000 foot barrier, making them of almost Appalachian stature, but their incredible array of jagged peaks, massive glaciers, and epic approach marches is only matched in one or two other ranges in the entire "Lower 48" United States.

The principal fact of life in the Olympics is its justifiably famous precipitation, in many places well over 200 inches per year. Down low the nearly continuous rain supports lush temprate rain forests that blanket the western and southern slopes of the mountains, and up higher the massive amounts of snowfall create the large glaciers and snowfields that give the Olympics their awesome alpine character.

Before you write off a trip to the Olympics because you don't like being fogbound and miserably wet, bear in mind that although winter can sometimes mean solid months without sun, there are often week-long stretches during the summer when hot, humid weather and clear blue skies settle in. During these times the Olympics are a delight--the views of the Pacific Ocean, the strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound, Vancouver Island, and the Cascade Range are devastating. Also, the northeastern areas of the Olympic Peninsula are among the driest in the Pacific Northwest, because the main bulk of the Olympics create a rain shadow.

Map of Olympic MountainsClick on red triangle icons for links to other ranges.